Themeda mooneyi

HABIT Perennial. Culms erect; 20–40 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths keeled. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 1.5 mm long; scaberulous on abaxial surface. Leaf-blades 15–30 cm long; 2–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; rough on both sides. Leaf-blade apex attenuate; filiform.

INFLORESCENCE Synflorescence compound; scanty. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; enclosed. Spatheole lanceolate; 5 cm long; without tubercles; glabrous. Peduncle 2–5 cm long.

Racemes 1; single; oblong; bearing few fertile spikelets; bearing 2 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis fragile at the nodes. Rhachis internodes linear.

Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels oblong; 0.5 mm long.

STERILE SPIKELETS Basal sterile spikelets well-developed; 4 in number; forming an involucre about the fertile; with normal internodes; subsessile; male; elliptic; 11 mm long; larger than fertile. Basal sterile spikelet glumes tuberculate; pilose; with grey hairs; scabrous on margins; lower glume muticous; lemmas awnless.

Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; lanceolate; 8.5 mm long; longer than fertile; separately deciduous. Companion sterile spikelet callus linear; 1.5 mm long. Companion sterile spikelet glumes chartaceous; smooth; glabrous; acuminate. Companion sterile spikelet lemmas 2; enclosed by glumes.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; subterete; 6.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus oblong; 1.5 mm long; bearded; base obtuse; attached obliquely. Spikelet callus hairs tawny.

GLUMES Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; coriaceous; dark brown; without keels; 5 -veined. Lower glume surface concave; asperulous; glabrous. Lower glume hairs red. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume oblong.

FLORETS Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; hyaline. Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma linear; hyaline; without keel; 1 -veined. Lemma apex entire; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn apical; geniculate; 25–45 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 12–25 mm long; puberulous. Palea absent or minute.

FLOWER Anthers 3; 3.5 mm long.

DISTRIBUTION Asia-tropical: India.

NOTES Andropogoneae. Bor 1993.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.